Valve lifter



July 16, 1929. o. w. JOHNSON 1,721,451

VALVE LIFTER Filed July 25, 192'? Fig. 1

O1 z'ver lvTJohz-zson Inventor er Attorneys Patented July 16, 1929.

. UNITED STATES OLIVER W. JOHNSON, OF GENEVA, OHIO.

VALVE LIFTER.

Application filed July 25, 1927.

This invention relates to a device commonly but incorrectly termed a valve lifter employed for the purpose of compressing the valve springs of certain automobile engines,

chiefly those of the Ford car, to enable the disconnection of the same from the valve stem and the consequent removal of the valve. The objects of the invention are the provision of a device of the simplest possible character containing the fewest possible number of parts, convenient and effective in use,-rugged in construction, cheap to manufacture, and which shall be attractive to mail order houses and chain stores. Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character COIitainiIlg no parts which are loose or liable to become lost, no forgings nor intricate elements, no weak parts to become broken, and one which shall open widely without obstructions to interfere with the ready detachability of the spring; the provision of a device of this character wherein the jaws can be locked in position at any point whatever without restriction to fixed or 5 spaced steps; while other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application I have illus- 30 trated certain preferred forms which my improved valve lifter may assume. Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred form of the device as presented to an engine valve prior to actuation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same device showing the parts in operating position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the jaw end of the device; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of one end of the device; Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section of modified form; and Fig. 6 is a perspective View of another modification.

1 denotes the stem of an engine valve surrounded by a spring 2 which rests on a washer 3 seated by a pin 4 or the like carried by the stem and held against accidental displacement by a flange 5 with which said washer is provided. The valve stem is reciprocated by means of a suitable tappet 6, the ends of the stem and tappet together with the spring 2 and securing parts being located in a suitable recess 7 formed in the body of the engine.

My improved valve lifter comprises two plain strips 10 and 11 of flat cold-rolled steel, notched at one end as indicated at 12 for the reception of the valve stem and tappet, and bent, one away from the other, to define a Serial No. 208,191.

fulcrum at a little distance from the forked end. It is immaterial whether this bend be shared by the two levers as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or be confined entirely to one of the same as shown in Fig. 5. In any case means are provided adjacent to this fulcrum for securing said levers movably together, said means preferably consisting of an integral tongue 14 struck up from one of the levers and projecting through a longitudinal slot 15 in the other'levcr, the head of said tongue being T-shaped as shown at 16 so as to overlap the sides of said slot and prevent accidental separation of the two levers. The shank of said tongue is preferably made of substantially the same width as the slot, and the 2 length of the slot is comparatively unimportant provided only it is sufficiently long to enable the head to traverse the same when the levers are turned at right angles. After the levers are assembled together, a rectangular wire loop 17 is applied to the handles, said loop being of sufficient lateral dimension to embrace the edges of the levers closely, and thereby cooperate with the tongue to hold said members in alignment. The vertical dimension of this loop is so chosen as to permit the noses of the two levers to be brought closer together as shown in Fig. 1, and also to secure the two levers in operating position as shown in Fig. 2 at whatever height the user finds it desirable to arrest the compression of the spring.

At their outer ends, one at least of the levers is bent laterally as shown at 18 to prevent loss of the link. The foregoing is the preferred form of the invention since it contains only three parts, the tongue being such as can be formed by a punch and die directly from the metal and at a single operation. It is however, possible to make this tongue separate in the form of a rivet 1 1 or otherwise as shown in Fig. 5; or it is sometimes possible though not quite so desirable toemploy in its place a second wire loop 20 as shown in Fig. 6, which in this case is preferably smaller than the loop 17 and is held against sliding by means of narrow notches 21 formed in the sides of the levers. These levers can be made of simple steel strips with a minimum of forging, handling or other expense though I do not limit myself to the exact forms illustrated and described herein.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a valve lifter, two levers of stifi strip metal longitudinally slotted at one end and rectangular metal loop slidably surrounding bent one away from the other to define a fixed fulcrum located between said slotted end and the middle of said strips, one of said strips having an aperture at such fulcrum and the other having an integral T-shaped tongue projecting loosely through said aperture, a

said strips at the opposite side of said tongue from said forked end, and means for preventing removal otsaid loop from the ends of said strips on which it slides.

2. In a valve lifter, two levers of stiff strip metal longitudinally slotted at one end and bent oneaway from the other to define a fixed fulcrum located between said slotted end and the middle of said strips, means including an aperture formed in one of such strips adjacent to such fulcrum, and a securing member carried by the other member and loosely located in said aperture for holding said levers against separation or sliding movement while permitting a relative prying movement about such fulcrum, and a sliding loop embracing both the-lever ends of said strips and cooperatingwith said securing member to maintain them in line and to secure them in adjusted position.

3. A valve lifter for internal combustion engines consisting of two simple levers of the first class each lying wholly to one side of the other and bent, one away from the other, at their fulcrum, means connecting said levers at their fulcrum to permit relative rocking and to substantially prevent relative sliding, and a slidable link embracing the power arms of said levers, said connecting means comprising a part which is rigid with one lever and loose with the other.

4. A valve lifter for internal combustion engines consisting of two simple levers of the first class, one lever bent away from the other to define a fulcrum, means connecting said levers together at their fulcrum to permit relative rocking and prevent relative sliding, said means comprising a headed connecting element secured to one lever and projecting loosely through a slot in the other lever, said levers being longitudinally slotted at one end and bent one away from the other at the opposite end, and a slidable loop embracing both levers between said element and bent end.

5. A valve lifter for internal combustion engines consisting of two simple levers of the first class, one lever bent away from the other to define a fulcrum, means including a slot in at least one of said levers near the fulcrum and a securing member loosely located in said slot and engaging the other member for preventing separationof said levers or relative sliding movement therebetween while permitting a relative prying movement, and a slidable loop loosely surrounding both said levers at one side of said securing member for holding them in line and in adjusted position, said levers being slotted atone end toengage a valve stemand tappet and formed at the other end to hold said loop against loss.

In testimony whereof I :hereunto affix my signature.

OLIVER W. JOHNSON. 

